Sport

Ball braves tricky surface

BROMSGROVE and Redditch athletes opened their cross country campaign in encouraging fashion when contesting the Gloucester League over a demanding course at Bourton-on-the-Water.

Owing to a clash with the first Young Athletes League meeting, Bromsgrove and Redditch were only able to field one Junior athlete at Bourton, but Orianna Ball produced a brilliant display to finish third in the Under-17 girls race, despite twice taking a tumble in the tricky conditions.

The Senior Women showed their strength in depth, when fielding two sides, the A team coming home in fourth spot behind winners Stroud and District.

Sally Hogan led the side home in 11th place, followed closely by Tamara Ball in 15th place and Gemma Cone who was 21st.

Bromsgrove and Redditch’s B team came a creditable seventh out of the 22 teams taking part, Melanie Hepke claiming 26th spot ahead of Charlotte Ball who was 30th and the second Veteran over 50 home, while Karen Riley claimed 39th place, which enabled Bromsgrove and Redditch to bag fourth place out of the 14 veteran sides competing.

Rebecca Selvey claimed 43rd place with Jane Anderson coming home 62nd following a year out through serious injury.

The Senior Men managed to clinch third spot out of the 16 teams taking part, Chletenham and County coming out on top with Severn AC in second spot.

Simon Lanckham led the side home in 23rd place just ahead of James Hood who finished three places behind.

Sean Bowden snapped up 39th place, edging Andy Freeman into 40th place, while Kevin Lanckham came home 58th and Gavin Moorhead’s 61st place completed the scoring.

Bromsgrove and Redditch, along with Cheltenham, were the only sides to field B teams, Bromsgrove taking 13th spot.

Other notable performances came from Ian Keyte, back in action after a year out with injury, while Phil Richardson continues to improve. The next Gloucester League fixture takes place in Cheltenham early next month.